Inspired by and taken from “The Magnificent Defeat” by Frederick Buechner
Which armor are you putting on? Is it the armor for the war between flesh and flesh, or between flesh and the spiritual forces of evil.

The armor used for Flesh vs. Flesh wars is not the whole armor of God but, rather, the whole armor of man, because this is man’s war against other men. In such a war perhaps you wear something like this:

Gird you loins with wisdom, the sad wisdom of the world which knows that dog eats dog, that the gods help those who help themselves and charity begins at home.

Put on the breastplate of self-confidence because if you have no faith in yourself, if you cannot trust to your own wits, then you will never get anywhere.

Let your feet by shod with the gospel of success – the good news that you can get just about anything in this world if you want it badly enough and are willing to fight for it.

Above all, take the shield of security because in a perilous world where anything can happen, security is perhaps what you need more than anything else – the security of money in the bank, or a college degree, or some basic skill that you can always fall back on.

And take the helmet of attractiveness or personality and the sword of wit

People are always criticizing the advertising business for its implied promise that the one who gets the best job or the prettiest girl is the one who wears the right clothes or uses the right toothpaste or drinks the right brand of vodka. But the fact of the matter is that although this is by no means a happy truth about our society, it is nonetheless very often not far from being true… In the war of conquest, that is to say, in the war that we all wage for a place in the sun, it is the armor of man rather than the armor of God that will serve you best; and although I can’t value that armor as highly as some would value it, I also cannot mock it because the armor of man serves its purpose all too well, and because I wear some of it myself, and so do you. – Fredrick Buechner

Ephesians 6:10-18

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Shield of Faith: faith as it is the evidence of things not seen and the substance of things hoped for

Helmet of Salvation: that is, hope, which has salvation for its object (1 Thess. v. 8)

(image courtesy of www.holyspiritinteractive.net)

Sword of the Spirit: the word of God…

Prayer: the battle is spiritual and must be fought with God’s strength, depending on the word (sword) and on God through prayer.

Questions

We are encouraged to be strong in the lord, why? how?

What are we to stand strong against? Does this mean that if we are doing God’s will that we will never face conflict from other people? (Note: No, if it is truely God’s will, satan will use people and anything else he can to stop it)

What do each piece of armor represent and what does it mean to put them on?

What does it mean to “stand”? Does it refer to only a defensive position, if so why are we given an offensive weapon in the sword of the Spirit?

What do you do to ensure that you always keep on praying and putting on the full armor of the Lord? How can we help support you?